1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept generally relates to an image forming apparatus and a method of managing information thereof, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus which can manage apparatus use information on a user and job performance of the image forming apparatus, and a method of managing information thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus refers to an apparatus that prints printing data generated from a terminal apparatus, such as a computer, on recording paper. Examples of such an image forming apparatus are a copier, a printer, a facsimile machine, or a multifunction peripheral (MFP), which complexly realizes two or more functions of the aforementioned devices in a single device.
Currently, leasing services of printers or MFPs are increasingly being offered. Accordingly, personal information (account information) and use information (information transmitted or received) of existing users are very likely to be exposed to a new user. Therefore, there is an increasing need for protection of the personal information and use information in a leased printer or MFP.
However, some information may be deleted by the user when the leased printer or MPF is returned, but some information, such as use information, cannot be deleted and thus there is a problem in that the user cannot delete information even though the user recognizes the information.
Also, if a complicated process is required to delete the information, the user may not delete the information. That is, in a case that there are personal information and/or user information that can be deleted by the complicated process, a user or an administrator should find pieces of information one by one and thus may omit to delete some piece of information.
Therefore, the information that the user does not delete may be leaked.
Also, when a leasing period expires, an existing user may return a product without deleting information. In this case, there is a problem in that personal information and user information are leaked.